‘It seems strange that
the President has no
known select or anointed
presidential candidate.’
WILL President Duterte go the way of former presidents Erap Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? Both ended up facing life sentences for plunder and multi-billion peso corruption.
The report of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the Pharmally multi-billion scandal (for the purchase of pandemic-related supplies) did not hold back on the President’s suspected complicity with top officers of Pharmally, Budget Department and Health Department officials.
The committee chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon recommended the filing of charges against the President, who had threatened the senators, especially Gordon and Panfilo Lacson, and obstructed the conduct of the hearings by barring government officials from showing up.
He also lashed out at the Commission on Audit for reporting on the deficiencies of the P67B-budget for COVID response.
The President also has to contend with the possible filing of criminal raps regarding thousands of extra-judicial killings, which the International Criminal Court of Justice (ICC) is investigating. The probe, bogged down by government hostility, is expected to move under a new administration
Certainly, it would be mutually beneficial for the President to make amends with presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos, whose running mate is the President’s daughter.
The game plan for Sarah Duterte-Carpio to take over as president after the possible disqualification of Marcos Jr. by the Supreme Court presents more complications than the Duterte camp can handle.
With candidates for the Senate and House of Representatives gunning for their respective political advantage, political expediency and survival may be quite difficult for the President. It seems strange that the President has no known select or anointed presidential candidate.
Some media colleagues probably see Isko Moreno as just play-acting with his grand plans for the country, unless one boldly speculates that he can get the national government promptly up and running if he wins the presidency. And that may only mean the current administration is behind him. One of Moreno’s campaign promises, quite unbelievable from a city mayor, is the full restoration of the ruined Marawi City and for every home and businesses to be rebuilt by the end of this year.
***
Boy Abunda is not in the mold of Jessica Soho. The veteran and highly-esteemed GMA 7 broadcast journalist has never engaged in damage control with any of her interviewees, unlike Abunda who seemed to relish throwing endearing questions at Bongbong Marcos.
Marcos practically had free reign to promote his candidacy instead of being subjected to tough questions that needed to be answered.
But not so with Vice President Leni Robredo, whose airtime share was limited by Abunda often cutting off her replies. Robredo could only hide her disappointment behind her smiles and her professional deference to the program host. Abunda should know that not all political interviewees can be similarly pleasant and restrained.
